Langar :

The Sikh (1) Gurdwaras are not only places of worship but also the training
center of service. Such service as sweeping the precincts, serving drinking
water to the thirsty, fanning the congregation in hot weather and serving
food to the hungry have always formed an integral part of the factions in a
Sikh shrine. Of these, Langar is perhaps the most important. A Sikh
Gurdwarawithout a free kitchen is inconceivable.

"Dānā pānī guru kā, tehal sevā sikhān dī"

(Food and Drink are the gifts of the Guru, Service and devotion contributed
by his servitors)*

Everybody welcome in a Gurdwara. But Gurdwara has some principles. A person
should not enter in a Gurdwara if they are under the influence of alcohol or
drugs, carrying alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and meat. Anyone entering the
Gurdwara must remove their shoes and cover their heads.

The Guru Granth Sahib is installed in its own room under a canopy. As a mark
of respect, anyone entering the room should kneel in front of the Guru
Granth Sahib and touch their forehead to the floor. There is usually a box
in front of the canopy where worshipers can place their offerings- of money
or food for the Langar.

The Langar in Gurdwara's is a community kitchen. Every Sikh is expected to
take part in the running of the community kitchen. Community has pay for the
expenses, bring provisions or personally contribute labour of love, by
cleaning utensils, fetching water or fuel, or taking a hand in cooking and
distributing food. Langar is one of the corner of the Sikh religion and a
symbol of equality.

Langar is Persian word meaning:

   - An asylum for the poor and the destitute,
   - The house or monastery of the Sufi dervishes,
   - An alms-house,
   - A public kitchen kept by a great man for his followers and
   dependents, the Holy men and the needy.

Langar is Persian word, which means a public kitchen established by a noble
person for their followers and dependents. In India, Langar was started by
Guru Nanak Dev Ji and carried forward by successive Gurus. The Guru desired
that every Sikh should share his food with others "*Wand Chhakna"* and their
kitchen should be open to all. Subsequently the Langar took on an
institution from and became a part of the Sikh Gurdwara. This Langar is
meant to provide food to all devotees and pilgrims. Every Sikh is expected
to contribute to it either by donating foodstuff or by participating in the
cooking and distribution of the food.

 Now Langar from a major institutional forms of India and become a part of
the Sikh Gurdwara. Basically, Langar means to Provide food to all devotees
and pilgrims. The Langar in Gurdwara's    is a community kitchen. Every Sikh
is expected to take part in the running of the kitchen. Community has pay
for the expenses, bring provisions or personally contribute labor of love,
by cleaning utensils, fetching water or fuel, or taking a hand in cooking
and distributing food. Langar is one of the corner of the Sikh religion and
a symbol of equality. Every Sikh is expected to contribute to it either by
donating foodstuff or by participating in the cooking and distribution of
the food.

Guru Nanak set up a Gurdwara of bread at Kartar Pur Where people brought
corn and fuel, and worked together to prepare a common meal for the whole
community. Nanak took practical steps to break the vicious hold of caste by
starting free community kitchens – *Guru ka langar- * in all centers and
persuading his  followers, irrespective  of their castes, to eat together.

 Guru Angad extended the Langar and personally served in it. *Langar
*(2)*in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji
*  "The Langar- the kitchen of the Guru's Shabad has been opened, and its
supplies never run short. Whatever His Master gave, He spent; He distributed
it all to be eaten. The Praises of the Master were sung, and the Divine
Light descended from the heavens to the earth. Gazing upon you, O True King,
the filth of countless past lives is washed away. The Guru gave the True
Command; why should we hesitate to proclaim this? His sons did obey his
word; they turned their backs on him as Guru. These evil hearted ones became
rebellious; they carry loads of sin on their backs. Whatever the Guru said *
Lehna* did, and so he was installed on the throne. Who has lost, and who has
won? He who did the work, is accepted as Guru; so which is better – the
thistle or the rice? The Righteous Judge of Dharma considered the arguments
and made the decision. Whatever the True Guru says, the True Lord does; it
comes to pass instantaneously. *Guru Angad* was proclaimed, and the True
creator confirmed it. Nanak merely changed his body; He still sits on the
throne, with hundreds of branches reaching out. Standing at his door, his
followers serve him; by this service, their rust is scraped off. He is the
Dervish- the Saint, at the door of his lord and master; he loves the True
name, and the *Bani *of the Guru's word. Balwand says that *Khivi*, the
Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She
distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the *kheer* – the rice pudding
and *ghee*, is like sweet ambrosia. The faces of the Guru's Sikhs are
radiant and bright; the self-willed *Manmunkhs* are pale, like straw. The
master gave his approval, when Angad exerted him self heroically. Such is
the husband of mother *Khivi*; he sustains the world."

Guru Amar Das turned it into an institution and ordered that all who came to
see him must first eat in Langar "*Pahle Pangat, Piche Sangat" *Food first,
congregation next.  The motto was *pehle pangat piche sangat- *"first sit in
a row in the kitchen, then seek the company of the the Guru. (3) The Guru
included a common mode of worship and a common social institute by laying
the foundation of Sangat and Pangat. Sangat means "association", it is
getting together of noble and good people. Pangat literally means a same
row. It stands for people sitting and eating together in the same row in
Guru- ka-Langar.  From the time of Guru Nanak, Sangat and Pangat have gone
together, for the Sikhs, both in percept as well as in practice. Wherever
there was a Sangat there also was a Langar, as these Sangats were' not
merely places of worship but also wayside refectories, which gave food and
shelter to indigent wayfarers. Even the Emperor Akbar and the Raja of
Haripur had to sit on the floor with the common people and take a meal with
them. Apart from promoting social equality, the Langar eliminated taboos
about chauka- the preparation of food in a special enclosures etc.

Guru Ramdas who ordered that water widened the scope of Langar and meals are
also served to travelers and squatters.

Guru Arjan Dev and his wife personally served water to the Sangat. They even
massged the weary travelers and fanned them to sleep.

Guru Hargobind ji  says: "*Garib ka Mooh guru ki golak" *(Poor man's month
is the Guru's Coffer)

Guru Gobind Singh Ji says: " May the kitchen and the Sword prevail in the
World". "*Deg Teg Jag maih Dou Chleh!" * Deg and Teg are Persian words,
meaning the kettle and the sword respectively. Deg literally means a cooking
-pot. It symbolically stands for the free kitchen or Langar; whereas Teg is
the sword represents dignity and power. Deg to feed the poor and the
stanger, regardless of caste and religion; and "Tag" the Sword, to destroy
the oppressor of humanity and protect the oppressed. Hence Deg and Teg are
symbols of service and power. Many of the Sikhs started their own Langars at
Anandpur. One day, Guru Gobind Singh went out incognito on an inspection of
Langars. He found out that Bhai Nand Lal maintained the Langar well, while
others were indifferent   to the needs of poor. He warned them and remarked,
"The mouths of the poor are Guru's receptacles of gifts".

An Ardas(prayer) is performed asking the Guru Granth Sahib to accept the *Karah
Parsad *(4), food and bless the sevadars who prepared it and  bless those
that eat from the Langar. When recite the Ardas it is ask Guru to bless the
Prasad and the Langar. Langar don't cut with a knife; it is cut with a *
Kirpan* (     A dagger, sword or sheath knife with one cutting edge). The
root word of kirpan is Kripa, which means grace. Langar and prasad touch
with the kripan, thereby passing Guru's Grace into it.   Steel is a
conductor of energy. Further, the energy of the steel also transfers to the
Langar and parsad, giving it that extra strength, tempered by the sweetness
of the Anand. The blade is sharpened steel to give us the sharp edge of
discrimination so that we can act wisely. We cover the Langar and Prasad to
protect it. All the colors, or vibrations, the head must be covered and
shoes removed in this hall, the Langar should be served on the floor with
the sangat sitting cross-legged.

Seva (selfless service) is a sacred duty, and can be done anywhere for
anyone. An important from of seva is Langar. All who visit the Gurdwara sit
down together in a row and partake of the simple food offered with loving
care irrespective of the recipient's caste, color, creed, sex, nationality,
social background or position in the community. The community freely gives
all the food and services associated with the Langar, and the food is
vegetarian. Amritdhari sevadar are serving the langar, it is not necessary.
Serving sevadar has to wear a *Parna *(Bandana) around their heads for
reasons of hygiene. It is a symbol of the Sikh belief in a non-sexist,
non-racist society; equality, fraternity and brotherhood where all people of
all caste, religion are equal and can share a common meal in the true print
of unity. It is not unusually to see at a Langar of a millionaire seated
next to his own servant in a Pangat. Some high caste has his meal along with
harijan, or a landlord sitting along with his workers.

There are two types of Langar, which are attached to all major Sikh
Gurdwaras

(a) Langar of Daily meals

(b) Shabad-ka-Langar

Langar of Daily meals "Free kitchen or open ...

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